Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste

ABSTRACT

The apparatus includes a pair of vertical side members arranged in parallel spaced relation and connected to each other by a top transverse member. A platform is positioned between the side members and is movable vertically thereto by means of either telescopic members connected to the platform and the transverse top member or by means to engage a vertically movable piston rod movably connected to the top transverse member. A container is suitably supported on the platform and has an inner chamber with a generally cylindrical configuration, a top inlet opening and a bottom outlet opening. A piston head having substantially the same configuration as the container chamber is secured to the piston rod and is arranged to move downwardly within the container to extrude a highly viscous paste through the outlet opening. The piston is movable vertically relative to the container chamber by a suitable actuating mechanism. The platform with the container thereon is arranged to be moved to a preselected elevation and stop means engage the platform at this elevation. A filling mechanism is suitably connected to the vertical side members and has an inlet opening connectable to the container outlet opening at the preselected elevation by a quick disconnect coupling. The filling mechanism includes a two-way valve to provide a flow passageway between the inlet opening and a paste transfer cylinder, and a passageway from the paste transfer cylinder to an outlet opening to which a tube or second container is arranged to be connected. A piston is positioned within the paste transfer cylinder and is connected to a piston rod that has a telescopic means to limit vertical displacement of the piston within the paste transfer cylinder. The piston rod has a second piston in an actuating cylinder positioned above the paste transfer cylinder. The actuating cylinder is arranged to displace the second piston and the piston rod vertically to extrude the paste through the filling mechanism outlet opening into the second container.

United States Patent 1 Weil et al.

[ 1 APPARATUS FOR FILLING A CONTAINER WITH A PRESELECTED QUANTITY OF A HIGHLY VISCOUS PASTE [76] Inventors: Adam Weil, Steinmuhle, 6201 Wicker; Herbert Weil, 623 Frankfurt- Hoechst, Markt 1, Germany [22] Filed: Mar. 31, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 129,891

[52] US. Cl. 141/73, 92/18, 100/257,

141/250, 222/262, 222/309 [51] Int. Cl B6511 1/24, B65b 3/12 [58] Field of Search 92/18.7, 60.5;

Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, .lr. Attorney-Stanley J. Price, Jr.

[5 7] ABSTRACT The apparatus includes a pair of vertical side members arranged in parallel spaced relation and connected to each other by a top transverse member. A platform is positioned between the side members and is movable [111 3,738,400 June 12, 1973 vertically thereto by means of either telescopic members connected to the platform and the transverse top member or by means to engage a vertically movable piston rod movably connected to the top transverse member. A container is suitably supported on the platform and has an inner chamber with a generally cylindrical configuration, a top inlet opening and a bottom outlet opening. A piston head having substantially the same configuration as the container chamber is secured to the piston rod and is arranged to move downwardly within the container to extrude a highly viscous paste through the outlet opening. The piston is movable vertically relative to the container chamber by a suitable actuating mechanism. The platform with the container thereon is arranged to be moved to a preselected elevation and stop means engage the platform at this elevation. A filling mechanism is suitably connected to the vertical side members andhas an inlet opening connectable to the container outlet opening at the preselected elevation by a quick disconnect coupling. The filling mechanism includes a two-way valve to provide a flow passageway between the inlet opening and a paste transfer cylinder, and a passageway from the paste transfer cylinder to an outlet opening to which a tube or second container is arranged to be connected. A piston is positioned within the paste transfer cylinder and is connected to a piston rod that has a telescopic means to limit vertical displacement of the piston within the paste transfer cylinder. The piston rod has a second in an actuating cylinder positioned above the paste transfer cylinder. The actuating cylinder is arranged to displace the second piston and the piston rod vertically to extrude the paste through the filling mechanism outlet opening into the second container.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures a 1,1 I I PATENIEBJun 1 2.915

sum 3 or 5 PATENTEU Jun: 2 ms SHEET & BF 5 APPARATUS FOR FILLING A CONTAINER WITH A PRESELECTED QUANTITY OF A HIGHLY VISCOUS PASTE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste and more particularly to container filling apparatus that includes a separate container movable vertically to the elevation of the container filling mechanism.

2. Description of the Prior Art Apparatus for filling containers, such as cartridges, tubes, or small metal and plastic containers is known. Further, the extrusion of measured quantities of paste by means of a piston through an outlet into the tube or container is known. With the known filling arrangements, there is provided a storage container weighing usually several tons, that is lifted by a fork lift or similar apparatus to the platform of a stand that is located at a preselected elevation. The storage container is connected to the filling mechanism by a coupling arrangement. Other apparatus is known in which the storage container remains at ground level and the extruded paste is conveyed through a tube to the filling mechanism at a preselected elevation. Conveying the paste by means of a tube results in a residue remaining in the tube and the problems encountered in cleaning such residue from the tube are substantial. Contamination of the paste by impurities is also a problem with the use of an elongated tube from the storage container to the filling mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The hereinafter described invention relates to apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste that includes a frame member with vertical side portions and a top member connecting the side members to each other. A storage container support platform is positioned between the side members below the top member. Means such as telescopic means are connected to the support platform and are arranged to move the platform vertically to'a preselected elevation. The storage container positioned on the platform has a chamber with a top opening and a bottom outlet opening. A piston connected to the frame top member has a head portion with substantially the same transverse configuration and dimensions as the storage container. The piston with the piston head portion positioned within the storage container chamber is arranged upon vertical downward movement to extrude the paste within the storage container through an outlet opening to a filling mechanism located at the preselected elevation. The filling mechanism is arranged to receive a preselected quantity of paste from the storage container and thereafter transfer the presele'cted quantity of paste to a second container connected thereto.

With the above arrangement, the elongated tube connecting the storage container to the filling mechanism is eliminated and it is no longer necessary to employ separate lifting mechanisms to elevate the storage container to an elevated platform located at the same elevation as the filling mechanism.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to eliminate the elongated tubes or conduits between the paste storage container and the filling mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus for filling containers with a viscous paste that does not require a separate mechanism to lift the container to the elevation of the feeding mechanism.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more completely disclosed and described in the following specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of the apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of highly DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1-3 there is illustrated apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste generally designated by the numeral 10. The apparatus includes a frame having side members 12 and 14 connected to each other in spaced parallel relation by a transverse top member 16. A platform 18 is positioned between the side members 12 and 14 and is movable vertically toward and away from the transverse top member 16. A pair of cylinders 20 and 22 are connected to the top member 16 adjacent the respective side members 12 and 14 and have piston rods 24 and 26 connected to the platform 18. With this arrangement, the extension and retraction of the piston rods 24 and 26 moves the platform vertically to a preselected elevation at service height. Pin members 28 are positionable in apertures formed in side members 12 and 14 and serve as stop members to maintain the platform 18 at the preselected elevation. On the upper surface of platform 18 there are a plurality of container supports 30 that are arranged to support a storage container 32 on the platform 18.

The storage container 32 has suitable devices 34 with which the container 32 may be moved onto the upper surface of platform 18 and onto the container supports 30. The container 32 has a generally cylindrical configuration. with an internal cylindrical chamber 36, a top opening 38 and a bottom outlet opening 40. The bottom outlet opening 40, as illustrated in FIG..1, is connected to the inlet opening of the container filling mechanism generally designated by the numeral 42 which is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6. A cylinder 44 is connected to the frame transverse top member 16 and has a piston rod 46 extending downwardly therefrom. The rod 46 has a head portion 48 which is of substantially the same transverse dimension and configuration of the internal cylindrical chamber 36. Vertical movement of the piston rod 46 within cylinder 44 is controlled by suitable actuator devices located adjacent to the frame vertical side member 14. The head portion 48 is arranged to move downward in the internal cylindrical chamber 36 and displace and extrude the highly viscous paste through the bottom outlet opening 40 into the container filling mechanism 42.

Now referring to FIGS. 1, S and 6, the filling mechanism generally designated by the numeral 42 includes a paste transfer cylinder 52 in which there is positioned a piston 54. A two-way valve mechanism 56 connects the paste transfer cylinder 52 with a paste inlet opening 58 in one position and the paste transfer cylinder 52 with a paste outlet opening 60 by means of rotation of cylindrical valve element 62. The valve element 62 is connected to an actuator device 64 by means of a shaft 66. The actuator mechanism 64 is connected to foot actuated device 68 that is, in turn, hydraulically connected to a suitable source of hydraulic fluid under pressure. With this arrangement, the foot actuated device 68 actuates the actuator device 64 to rotate shaft 66 and permit paste to be extruded into the paste transfer cylinder 52 and to close the paste inlet opening 58 and connect paste outlet opening 60 to the paste transfer cylinder 52. With this arrangement, preselected quantities of paste are fed or extruded from the storage container 32 into the paste transfer cylinder 52 and from the paste transfer cylinder 52 into tubes or smaller containers connected to paste outlet opening 60. The paste inlet opening 58 of two way valve mechanism 56 is connected to the bottom outlet opening 40 of storage container 32 by means of a suitable quick disconnec coupling, not shown.

A piston rod generally designated by the numeral 70 is connected at its lower end to the piston 54 and at its upper end to an actuating piston 72. The actuating piston 72 is positioned within an actuating cylinder 74 that is vertically aligned with the paste transfer cylinder 52. The piston rod 70 has a lower threaded portion 76 on which a tubular member 78 is positioned. The threaded tubular member 78 has an upper stop member 80 and a locking screw 82. Rotation of the tubular member 78 on the piston rod 70 moves the tubular member 78 toward and away from the actuating cylinder 74 to thereby control the effective length of the stroke of piston rod 70 upwardly and thereby control the volume within the paste transfer cylinder 52. Thus, if the threaded tubular member 78 is threaded upwardly on piston rod 70 toward the actuating piston 72, the upper stop member 80 will abut the cap 84 of actuating cylinder 74 to limit upward movement of piston rod 70 and control the uppermost position of the piston 54 within the paste transfer cylinder 52 and thus control the volume of the paste transfer cylinder to a preselected quantity of paste.

To discharge the paste from the paste transfer cylinder 52, the cylindrical valve element 62 is rotated by means of actuator device 64 through foot actuated device 68 to connect the paste outlet opening 60 to the paste transfer cylinder 52.

Referring to FIG. 4 there is illustrated another embodiment of the apparatus to lift the platform 18 to the preselected position. The platform 18 has a pair of upwardly extending side frame members 86 and 88 with there is a pair of eccentric members 94 and 96 rotatably mounted therein that engage the frame top cross member 90 to the piston rod 46. Upward movement of piston rod 46 during engagement of eccentric members 94 and 96 moves the platform 18 upwardly to the preselected elevation. After the platform 18 is in the preselected elevation, the eccentric members are disengaged from the piston rod 46 so that the piston will move independent thereto to extrude paste from the storage container 32.

The above described apparatus is particularly suitable for use with heavy viscous pastes such as various silicon polyester resins and other highly viscous materials such as putty and the like. The previously described apparatus is especially useful with highly viscous pastes that can not be easily worked with normal pumps or screw and worm type conveying devices to convey the viscous pastes from their storage container to a filling mechanism. The apparatus, because of the direct connection between the storage container and the filling device and the piston arrangement for extruding the paste from the storage container, minimizes the exposure of the paste to air during the filling operation.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle, preferred construction and mode of operation of the invention have been explained and what is now considered to represent its best embodiments have been illustrated and described. However, it should be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste comprising,

a frame member having side members and a transverse top member connecting said side members in spaced relation to each other,

a container support platform positioned between said side members and below said top member, said container support platform having a second frame member,

a container positioned on said platform, said container having a chamber with a top opening and a bottom outlet opening,

a piston having a head portion with the same transverse configuration and dimension as said chamber, said piston connected to said first frame member transverse top member and operable to move vertically relative thereto within said container chamber to extrude paste from within said container chamber through said outlet opening,

means on said second frame member to engage said piston, said piston operable upon engagement by said means on said second frame member to move said platform vertically with said container thereon to a preselected elevation, and

said container bottom outlet opening arranged to be connected to a filling mechanism so that a preselected quantity of paste from said container is introduced into said filling mechanism for transfer to a second container connected thereto.

2. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said means to move said platform vertically includes extensible telescopic means connected to said platform and said top member, said telescopic means operable to move said platform vertically with said container thereon to a preselected elevation.

3. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

suitable means in said side members operable to maintain said platform at a preselected elevation.

4. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

a filling mechanism having a paste transfer cylinder connected to said container between outlet openings,

a second piston positioned in said paste transfer cylinder and operable to be displaced vertically within said cylinder by the paste fed to said filling mechanism from said container, and

means to limit the vertical displacement of said piston within said paste transfer cylinder to thereby control the quantity of paste fed to said filling mechanism.

5. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 4 in which said Filling mechanism includes,

an actuating cylinder positioned above said paste transfer cylinder,

a piston rod connecting said second piston in said paste transfer cylinder with a third piston in said actuating cylinder, and

said piston rod including means to limit vertical movement of said second piston in said paste transfer cylinder.

6. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

a filling mechanism having an inlet opening connected to said container and an outlet opening arranged to be connected to an inlet opening of a second container, and

valve means in said filling mechanism operable to close said outlet opening while paste is being fed into said filling mechanism and said inlet opening while paste is being fed through said outlet opening.

7. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

a filling mechanism having an inlet opening positioned at substantially the same elevation as said container bottom outlet opening.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 738 400 Dated June 12 1973 Inventor) Adam Weil et a1 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

It is respectfullyirequested that the Foreign Application Priority Data be included as follows:

=.--- June 12, 1970 West Germany P 20 28 962.7

Signed and sealed this 27th day of November 1973.

(SEAL) Attestz EDWARD M.PLETCHER,JR. RENE D. TEGTMEYER Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents ORM PO-105O (10-69) uscoMM-oc 60376-P69 U. 5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 969 0-366-33, 

1. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste comprising, a frame member having side members and a transverse top member connecting said side members in spaced relation to each other, a container support platform positioned between said side members and below said top member, said container support platform having a second frame member, a container positioned on said platform, said container having a chamber with a top opening and a bottom outlet opening, a piston having a head portion with the same transverse configuration and dimension as said chamber, said piston connected to said first frame member transverse top member and operable to move vertically relative thereto within said container chamber to extrude paste from within said container chamber through said outlet opening, means on said second frame member to engage said piston, said piston operable upon engagement by said means on said second frame member to move said platform vertically with said container thereon to a preselected elevation, and said container bottom outlet opening arranged to be connected to a filling mechanism so that a preselected quantity of paste from said container is introduced into said filling mechanism for transfer to a second container connected thereto.
 2. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 1 in which, said means to move said platform vertically includes extensible telescopic means connected to said platform and said top member, said telescopic means operable to move said platform vertically with said container theReon to a preselected elevation.
 3. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 1 which includes, suitable means in said side members operable to maintain said platform at a preselected elevation.
 4. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 1 which includes, a filling mechanism having a paste transfer cylinder connected to said container between outlet openings, a second piston positioned in said paste transfer cylinder and operable to be displaced vertically within said cylinder by the paste fed to said filling mechanism from said container, and means to limit the vertical displacement of said piston within said paste transfer cylinder to thereby control the quantity of paste fed to said filling mechanism.
 5. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 4 in which said filling mechanism includes, an actuating cylinder positioned above said paste transfer cylinder, a piston rod connecting said second piston in said paste transfer cylinder with a third piston in said actuating cylinder, and said piston rod including means to limit vertical movement of said second piston in said paste transfer cylinder.
 6. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 1 which includes, a filling mechanism having an inlet opening connected to said container and an outlet opening arranged to be connected to an inlet opening of a second container, and valve means in said filling mechanism operable to close said outlet opening while paste is being fed into said filling mechanism and said inlet opening while paste is being fed through said outlet opening.
 7. Apparatus for filling a container with a preselected quantity of a highly viscous paste as set forth in claim 1 which includes, a filling mechanism having an inlet opening positioned at substantially the same elevation as said container bottom outlet opening. 